CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE

The Latin empire (1204–1261) and its struggles with and final overthrow bythe Greeks of Nicaea

[1]
CHAPTER II

Condition of and difficulties in reconstructing the empire: difficulties arising(a) from attempts by Latins to recover the empire, (b) from CatalanGrand Company

[22]
CHAPTER III

The Turks: their entry into Asia Minor: not at first exclusively Mahometan:their characteristics: Othman founds a dynasty: progress of Moslemsin Europe and Asia Minor: capture of Brousa in 1326

[52]
CHAPTER IV

Dynastic struggles in empire: appeals to Pope for aid; reigns of Andronicusthe Second, John Cantacuzenus, and John; repeated failure of effortsby Popes to induce Western Powers to assist in checking Moslemadvance

[65]
CHAPTER V

Reign of Orchan: struggles with empire; its successes and reverses; invasionsof Tartars. Reign of Murad: defeat of Serbians and Bulgariansby Turks; battle of Cossovo-Pol and assassination of Murad

[97]
CHAPTER VI

Reign of Manuel: encroachments of Turks; Manuel visits West, SultanBajazed summoned by Timour; friendly relations between Manuel andMahomet the First; John associated with Manuel. Siege of Constantinopleby Murad; its failure. Efforts at union; misconceptions inWest regarding Greek Church; constancy of attempts at union; negotiationsfor meeting of Council of Church. Internal struggles in LatinChurch. Emperor invited by both parties; accepts Pope’s invitation;meeting of Council at Ferrara and Florence; union accomplished; Johnreturns to capital; divisions in Greek Church

[109]
CHAPTER VII

Progress of Turks between 1391 and 1425: Sultan Bajazed’s reign: conquestsin Europe: Bulgarian kingdom ended: Western armies defeatedat Nicopolis: Anatolia-Hissar built: capital threatened: summons byTimour to Bajazed: Timour’s progress: reply of Bajazed: battle ofAngora and crushing defeat of Turks: further progress of Timour:death of Bajazed, 1403: alarm in Western Europe: departure ofTimour: struggle between the sons of Bajazed: ultimate success ofMahomet: his good understanding with Manuel: death of Mahomet,1420: accession of Murad: war with empire: siege of Constantinople,1422: death of Manuel, 1425: triumphal progress of Murad: he besiegesand takes Salonica: besieges Belgrade but fails: combined movementunder Hunyadi against Murad: battle of Slivnitza, 1443, and defeat ofTurks: Murad sues for peace: treaty made with Ladislaus: violated byChristians: battle of Varna, 1444: Murad ravages Morea: Iskender Bey,his origin: captures Croia: Hunyadi again attacks Murad: defeated atCossovo-pol, 1448: reasons for failure of Christian attempts: John hasto forego joining Western combination against Turks: death of Murad,1451: Mahomet the Second becomes Sultan

[131]
CHAPTER VIII

Causes leading to decay of empire: not due to demoralisation of Court;internal and external causes; Latin conquest and form of governmenthad produced internal dissensions and checked assimilation of hostileraces; method of Turkish conquest and its fatal consequences; ravagesof black death; population of capital in 1453; its commerce; relationsof people with government; resemblance to Russia; difficulty of obtainingidea of domestic life

[180]
CHAPTER IX

Accession of Constantine Dragases; Patriarch Gregory deposed; renewedattempt to obtain aid from the West; emperor meets with little success;arrival of Cardinal Isidore; reconciliation service December 12, 1452, inHagia Sophia; dissensions regarding it

[201]
CHAPTER X

Character of Mahomet the Second; receives deputation from city; returnsto Adrianople from Asia Minor; his reforms; builds Roumelia-Hissar;rejects overtures from emperor; castle completed, August 1452; wardeclared; Mahomet returns to Adrianople; he discloses his designs forsiege of city. Constantine’s preparations for defence; arrival of sixVenetian ships; aid requested from Venice; Justiniani arrives, January1453; boom across harbour placed in position. Turkish army, estimateof; notice of Janissaries; mobility of army; religious spirit of; castingof great cannon; Turkish fleet arrives in Bosporus; description ofvessels composing it. Mahomet’s army marches to city; offer of peace

[206]
CHAPTER XI

Topography of Constantinople; disposition of Mahomet’s forces andcannon; estimate of fighting men under emperor; Venetians andGenoese: disparity in numbers: arms and equipment: attacks onTherapia and Prinkipo

[237]
CHAPTER XII
THE SIEGE

Investment by Turks; first assault fails; attempt to force boom; attemptto capture ships bringing aid; gallant fight and defeat of Turkish fleet;Turkish admiral degraded; transport of Turkish ships across Pera intothe Golden Horn

[254]
CHAPTER XIII

Constantine alleged to have sued for peace; attempt to destroy Turkishships in the Golden Horn; postponed; made and fails; murder of captives;reprisals; operations in Lycus valley; bridge built over GoldenHorn; sending to seek Venetian fleet; proposal that emperor shouldleave city; attacks on boom; jealousy between Venetians and Genoese;new assaults fail both at walls and boom; attempts to undermine walls;construction of a turret; destroyed by besieged; failure of vessel sentto find Venetian fleet; unlucky omens

[277]
CHAPTER XIV

Dissensions in city: between Greeks themselves; between Greeks andItalians; between Genoese and Venetians; charge of treachery againstGenoese examined; failure of Serbia and Hungary to render aid; preparationsfor a general assault; damages done to the landward walls;construction of stockade

[300]
CHAPTER XV

Last days of empire: sultan again hesitates; message inviting surrender;Turkish council called; decides against raising siege; proclamationgranting three days’ plunder; sultan’s final preparations; his addressto the pashas and last orders to generals. Preparations in city: religiousprocessions: Constantine’s address to leaders and to Venetians andGenoese; last Christian service in St. Sophia: defenders take up theirfinal stations at walls, and close gates behind them: emperor’s lastinspection of his forces

[313]
CHAPTER XVI

General assault: commenced by Bashi-Bazouks; they are defeated; Anatoliansattack—are also driven back; attacks in other places fail;Janissaries attack; Kerkoporta incident; Justiniani wounded andretires; emperor’s alarm; stockade captured; death of Constantine:his character; capture of Constantinople

[334]
CHAPTER XVII

Attacks in other parts of the city: by Zagan and Caraja; by fleet; thebrothers Bocchiardi hold their own; panic when entry of Turks becameknown; incident of Saint Theodosia’s church; massacre and subsequentpillage; crowd in Saint Sophia captured; horrors of sack;numbers killed or captured; endeavours to escape from city; panic inGalata; Mahomet’s entry; Saint Sophia becomes a mosque; fate ofleading prisoners: attempts to repeople capital

[358]
CHAPTER XVIII

Capture of Constantinople a surprise to Europe; conquest of Trebizond;summary of its history. Character and conduct of Mahomet: as conqueror;he increases Turkish fleet; as administrator; as legislator;his recklessness of human life; as student; was he a religious fanatic?summary

[386]
CHAPTER XIX

Dispersion of Greek scholars, and their influence upon revival of learning;Greek a bond of union among peoples of empire; disappearance ofbooks after Latin conquest; departure of scholars to Italy begins after1204; their presence stimulates revival of learning; enthusiasm arousedin Italy for study of Greek; students from Constantinople everywherewelcomed; increased numbers leave after Moslem conquest; Renaissancelargely aided by Greek studies; movement passes into Northern Europe;MSS. taken from Constantinople

[399]
CHAPTER XX

Conclusion; the capture epoch-marking; alarm in Europe; disastrousresults; upon Christian subjects and on Eastern Churches; demoralisationof both; poverty the principal result; degradation of Churches:two great services rendered by the Churches; results on Turks: powerlessto assimilate conquered peoples or their civilisation

[414]
APPENDICES
I.Note on Romanus Gate and chief place of final assault[429]
II.Where did the sea-fight of April 20, 1453, take place?[436]
III.Note on transport of Mahomet’s ships. What was the route adopted?[443]
IV.The influence of religion on Greeks and Moslems respectively[447]
INDEX[459]